Writing a business email

Exercise 1: Planning your letter or email

Complete the tip list below with the words from the box.

reader polite direct points brief complicated

 Think about what background information the ..................................... will need

to understand your message.

 Decide on the important ..................................... to include in your message.

 Keep letters and emails .......................... .

 Don’t write long, ..................................... sentences.

 Be clear and ......................... , but use suitably ........................... expressions

and constructions.

Exercise 2: The structure of a letter or email

Look at the parts of an email below. Arrange them in a logical order.

____ reason for writing

____ your signature/name and job title

____ offering/requesting action

____ concluding

____ opening greeting

____ connecting with the reader (‘small talk’ / referring to previous contact)

____ closing expression

____ giving good news / bad news; agreeing to requests

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 Writing a business email

Exercise 3: The body of a letter or email

Read the letter and the email below.

Letter

Dear Mr Smith

With regards to your phone call, I would like to inform you that the Networking for Business
event will now take place on Wednesday 15 September. I would appreciate it if you could
confirm your availability.

I would be pleased to assist you with the organisation of transport, should you need it.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Andy Robson
Events Co-ordinator
PQC Ltd.

Email

Hi James

Thanks for your phone call this morning. Just to let you know that the Networking for
Business event will now be on Weds 15 Sept. Could you let me know if you’re still free?

If you need me to organise transport, I’d be glad to help out.

Let me know if you need anything else.

Best wishes

Andy

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 Writing a business email

Now label the parts of the letter/email with the correct headings from exercise 2.

Letter Email

Dear Mr Smith Hi James

Thanks for your phone call

With regards to your phone call
this morning

I would like to inform you Just to let you know

I would appreciate it if you could Could you

I would be pleased to assist you I’d be glad to help out

If you have any further questions,

Let me know if you need
please do not hesitate to contact
anything else
me

Yours sincerely Best wishes

Andy Robson
Events Co-ordinator Andy
PQC Ltd.

Exercise 4: Formal or informal?

There are two main styles of writing in business: formal and informal.
Which phrases above are informal?
What are the main differences between the formal and informal styles of writing?

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

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 Writing a business email

Exercise 5: Structuring an email

Put the paragraphs of the email in the correct order.

Anne Kennedy
Bookings Officer
Ramada Hotel

I can now confirm that the Company Strategy meeting will take place on 22
September at 9.00 am in the Ramada Hotel.

Kind regards

If you have any further questions or special requirements, please do not hesitate to
contact me.

With regards to your phone call this afternoon,

Dear Mr Reagan

I would appreciate it if you would confirm whether you need overnight

accommodation.

Exercise 6: Opening and closing expressions

As well as ‘formal’ and ‘informal’, there is an intermediate, or ‘semi-formal’, level of

opening and closing expressions. This is often used in more formal business emails, but
not in letters.

Match the opening and closing expressions. Write your answers in the table below.

Opening Closing
1. Dear Sirs A. Take care
Dear Sir or Madam Best wishes
To whom it may concern All the best
2. Hi Susan
Dear Robert B. Yours faithfully
Hello / Hi
3. Dear Mrs Jones C. Best/Kind regards
Dear Mr Smith Regards
Dear Ms Pearson Best wishes
4. Good morning/afternoon D. Yours sincerely

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 Writing a business email

You don’t know the name You know the name

Formal

Semi-formal

Informal n/a

Exercise 7: Choosing opening and closing expressions

Complete the gaps with expressions from exercise 6.

1. When you don’t know the person’s name, use . .................................... or

.................................... or ..................................... to open a letter.

2. When you don’t know the person’s name, use ................................. to close a

letter.

3. When you don’t know the person’s name, use ................................. to open an

email.

4. When you know the person’s name and have a close business relationship, use

....................................... or ....................................... to open an email.

5. When you know the person’s name but have a formal business relationship, use

....................................... to open an email or letter.

6. When you know the person’s name, use ................................. to close a letter.

7. When you know the person well and have an informal relationship, use

....................................... or .......................................... or .................................. to

close an email.

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 Writing a business email

Exercise 8: Choosing opening and closing expressions for emails

Choose a suitable opening and closing for each email.

Opening Closing

Your best friend

The Chief
Executive of your
company

A new client

A colleague who
sits near you

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 Writing a business email

Teaching notes
Level: lower-intermediate (B1).

Aims:
 to understand how to structure a business letter or email
 to understand the differences between formal and informal business letters and
emails
 to learn standard formal, semi-formal and informal opening and closing expressions.

Timing: approximately 45 minutes.

Answers
Exercise 1

 reader
 points
 brief/polite
 complicated
 direct; polite

Exercise 2

1. opening greeting
2. connecting with the reader (‘small talk’ / referring to previous contact)
3. giving good news / bad news; agreeing to requests
4. reason for writing
5. offering/requesting action
6. concluding
7. closing expression
8. your signature/name and job title

Exercise 3

 opening greeting
 connecting with the reader
 reason for writing
 requesting action
 offering action
 offering action / concluding
 closing expression
 your signature/name and job title

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 Writing a business email

Exercise 4

The phrases from the letter are formal.

Formal writing Informal writing

 uses more complex sentences (e.g.
more conditionals)
 uses complete forms of words (e.g. I
would)
 uses more words of Latin/French origin
(e.g. regards, inform, appreciate,
questions, hesitate, contact, sincerely).
 uses more simple sentences
 misses out some ‘grammar words’ (e.g.
I am just writing to let you know)
 uses abbreviations and short forms
(e.g. Thanks and I’d)
 uses more multi-word verbs (e.g. let
you know and help out).

Exercise 5

An interactive version of this activity is available on www.teachitworld.com (Quick search:

21130).

7. Anne Kennedy
Bookings Officer
Ramada Hotel
3. I can now confirm that the Company Strategy meeting will take place on 22
September at 9.00 am in the Ramada Hotel.
6. Kind regards
5. If you have any further questions or special requirements, please do not hesitate to
contact me.
2. With regards to your phone call this afternoon,
1. Dear Mr Reagan
4. I would appreciate it if you would confirm whether you need overnight
accommodation.

Dear Mr Reagan

With regards to your phone call this afternoon, I can now confirm that the Company
Strategy meeting will take place on 22 September at 9.00 am in the Ramada Hotel.
I would appreciate it if you would confirm whether you need overnight accommodation.
If you have any further questions or special requirements, please do not hesitate to contact
me.

Kind regards

Anne Kennedy
Bookings Officer
Ramada Hotel

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 Writing a business email

Exercise 6

You don’t know the name You know the name

Formal 1b 3d
Semi-formal 4c 3c
Informal n/a 2a

Exercise 7

1. When you don’t know the person’s name, use Dear Sirs or Dear Sir or Madam or To
whom it may concern to open a letter.
2. When you don’t know the person’s name, use Yours faithfully to close a letter.
3. When you don’t know the person’s name, use Good morning/afternoon to open an
email.
4. When you know the person’s name and have a close business relationship, use Hi
Susan or Dear Robert to open an email.
5. When you know the person’s name but have a formal business relationship, use
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms … to open an email or letter.
6. When you know the person’s name, use Yours sincerely to close a letter.
7. When you know the person well and have an informal relationship, use Take care or
Best wishes or All the best to close an email.

Exercise 8

Note that British, American and Australian business culture tends to be more informal than
in many other cultures. The answers suggested below would be suitable in a typical
British/American/Australian company.

Opening Closing

Your best friend Hi Susan Take care / All the best

The Chief Executive (depends on the size and (depends on the size and
of your company conventions of the company) conventions of the company)

A new client Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms … / Dear Regards / Best/Kind regards

Robert

A colleague who Hi Susan Best wishes / All the best

sits near you

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